The executive summary is: send your event information, in whatever format is easiest for you, to info@ecocanterbury.org.nz, but read on if you want more detail about submitting events and what events will be listed. If you add that email address to your newsletter distribution list then there’s a good chance your events will go up without you having to do anything! In the fullness of time it may be possible for you to do the listing yourself, but at the moment one person is responsible for putting all events up. Saves you the trouble of learning how to do it anyway.
Any Canterbury-based environmental, conservation or sustainability group is welcome to have its events listed on the calendar. There is no commitment to list every event requested. Events without a public focus (e.g. committee meetings) will not be listed, but a website page listing regular (e.g. third Wednesday of month) non-public events is envisaged.
If events are on a Facebook page, Google calendar or some other standardised calendar then those events can be harvested with little effort. Alternatively events can be submitted for uploading to the calendar using a spreadsheet template. Single events can be entered through a Google form. However, I don’t mind how the events are submitted, as long as they are in an electronic form of some kind to info@ecocanterbury.org.nz. Paper would be OK, but only if the event description is short.
Events will be moderated before appearing in the calendar. Events suggested for listing by members will be uploaded if they fit with the purpose of the calendar. Significant (e.g. national) events from outside Canterbury may be listed. Although local government entities may not be members of the network their events may be listed. Political events may be listed provided all parties with parliamentary representation are invited. Events originated and branded by one political party will not be listed.
We are anticipating a widening catchment of events, starting in greater Christchurch, spreading to all of North Canterbury and eventually covering all of Canterbury. If the number of events increases to the point where it becomes hard to see the events you are looking for then a facility will be added for filtering the events so only events of the type and region you select are visible.
Significant upcoming events can be highlighted on the home page of the site. The calendar has an RSS feed of upcoming events, which makes it quick and easy to see what’s coming up.